Modern map displays, particularly those used in aircraft for flight planning and monitoring, are capable of displaying a considerable amount of information such as terrain information and flight planning information. The terrain information may include situational awareness terrain and cautions that identify potential hazards. Flight planning information may include, for example, flight path and altitude information useful to the pilot.
These electronic instrumentation displays continue to advance in sophistication, achieving increasingly higher levels of information density and, consequently, presenting a greater amount of visual information to be perceived and understood by the operator, e.g., pilot. It is important that visual displays provide a proper cognitive mapping between what the operator is trying to achieve and the information available to accomplish the task.
Data generated vertical profile displays do not provide any indication of the physical dimensions of the geographical area being presented. Known vertical profiles are shown as a “flat” two-dimensional image. However, the data available is not two-dimensional in nature and may be gathered as a corridor of unspecified width projected along the flight path, or as a forward-looking cone. It would be beneficial to pilots if more of the available information could be presented.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus and method for illustrating the terrain near the flight path on a vertical display in a more intuitive manner. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.